How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius

Written by Donald J. Robertson

Narrated by Donald J. Robertson

"This book is a wonderful introduction to one of history's greatest figures: Marcus Aurelius. His life and this book are a clear guide for those facing adversity, seeking tranquility and pursuing excellence." — Ryan Holiday, bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and The Daily Stoic

The life-changing principles of Stoicism taught through the story of its most famous proponent.

Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was the final famous Stoic philosopher of the ancient world. The Meditations, his personal journal, survives to this day as one of the most loved self-help and spiritual classics of all time. In How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, psychotherapist Donald Robertson weaves stories of Marcus’s life from the Roman histories together with explanations of Stoicism—its philosophy and its psychology—to enlighten today’s listeners. He discusses Stoic techniques for coping with everyday problems, from irrational fears and bad habits to anger, pain, and illness.

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor takes listeners on a transformative journey along with Marcus, following his progress from a young noble at the court of Hadrian—taken under the wing of some of the finest philosophers of his day—through to his reign as emperor of Rome at the height of its power. Robertson shows how Marcus used philosophical doctrines and therapeutic practices to build emotional resilience and endure tremendous adversity, and guides listeners through applying the same methods to their own lives.

Combining remarkable stories from Marcus’s life with insights from modern psychology and the enduring wisdom of his philosophy, How to Think Like a Roman Emperor puts a human face on Stoicism and offers a timeless and essential guide to handling the ethical and psychological challenges we face today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Apr 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9781250315960

Donald J. Robertson

Donald J. Robertson is a cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist, trainer, and writer. He was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, and after living in England and working in London for many years, he emigrated to Canada, and now resides in Quebec. Robertson has been researching Stoicism and applying it in his work for over twenty years. He is one of the founding members of the non-profit organization Modern Stoicism. He is also the founder and president of the Plato’s Academy Centre non-profit in Greece. Robertson is the author of Verissimus and How to Think Like a Roman Emperor.

Reviews for How to Think Like a Roman Emperor

[Apollo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Truly life changing. Practicable, actionable, philosophy masterfully woven with historical accounts and thoughtful commentary. A must read for any aspiring stoic.

[Emmanuell Mcbryde · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My first audio book on Stoicism and I have to say that it is a great introduction.

[Melodia Soitin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful companion to the meditations. Interesresting historical facts and a little artistic lisence thrown in make it a stoic must.

[Ryan Anthony Frezza · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing and immediately applicable. Combining ancient philosophy and modern psychology with a sprinkle of history.

[Artem Petushkov · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic audio book, helps you to see the world thru the eyes of a great stoic Marcus Aurelius.

[Sifu Paul Hawkes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed this unusual but stimulating way of presenting this classic.

[Ruben Curmi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book focusing on Marcus aurelius also including intro to Stoicism

[Terry N · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully narrated. Great wisdom. Highly recommended. It's inspiring. A book everyone should be exposed to.

[Fearless Cummings · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! I can honestly say that this was one of the best books ive ever read on Marcus Aurelius, philosophy and CBT. It was an absolute pleasure reading this! This book was full of wisdom, tips and practical strategies to help people navigate through life effortlessly. Or at least with some sort of dignity. I highly recommend and encourage you to read this! Stay Curious or Not.

[Donovan Heathwood · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Insightful, inspiring, and entertaining. This is great introduction to stoicism and a truely valuable read.

[Eli Kay · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well written and it’s everything I thought Marcus Aurelius would be

[Aiki Way · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Impressive. The author’s detail, story telling, pace, and grammar are superb. I just started this audio book as I return to traveling. One day I will read this author as a hardback.

[Mandi Reading · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Masterful combination of Roman history, Stoicism and CBT. Well written, and very impactful!

[Thomas Boman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Donald Robertson has written a masterpiece on Marcus Aurelius and his interpretation of Stoic philosophy. We learn how Marcus deals with his obstacles, and give us the reader to understand Stoic philosophy and how to use it for a more fulfilling life.

[Ramses Navarro · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have to be honest. This book from my perspective was amazing. I think it talks about important concepts that we should all embrace; stoicism is definitely a philosophy concept worth to read, listen and know about.
100% recommended.

[Magnus Hellid · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Donald does a good work in connection the dots between today’s psychology and stoicism. Great stories gives us an understanding of where Marcus is coming from and what shaped him and his thinking. Intriguing and interesting.

[Alexandria Lynch · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a comprehensive and entertaining introduction to the work of Marcus Aurelius

[Brynjar Amundsen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is absolutely fantastic and should be read or heard by everyone :) Such a fantastic book that helped me really deal with difficult personal problems. It very much put things into perspective.

[Joel Bamberg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic narration and a great book about a man that was nothing short of a hero, not because of him being Emperor of Rome but because of his wisdom and kindness. This is a must read/listen for anybody that wants to become a better person.

[Marc Nußbaumer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really inspiring. You can learn so much from this book.

[alnerdo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book brought Marcus Aurelius and his beliefs to life and connects Stoic ideas to the way he might have lived them. The connection to modern cognitive therapy was very informative and the narration of the text was calming and soothing.

[Michael Neeper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great combination of psychology and stoicism. Also great look into the life of Marcus Aurelius.

[Pappa Nibal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book, great flow, easy listen. Goes through lots of exercises while telling the story of Marcus Aurelius, with each phase of his life, bits of wisdom and practical exercises and strategies. Highly recommended.

[Oli Permaculture · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic book... Great history, analysis and advice from the Great Marcus well interpreted by the author. I particularly liked the explanation of link between Stocism and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The Meditation on Life and Death at the end of the book is stunning, perfectly read by the narrator. Bravo!

[Rafael · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed this book. Bringing together cbt and stoicism together helps paint a picture of how to apply the philosophy to real life situations. Great read.

[Neal Vlad Broadbent · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Incredible!
Well read, well written super interesting, will have to listen again!

[Lorna L. Engleman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book. Terrible reader! Worst ever reader in my experience!! He had a very heavy accent that was difficult to follow. His voice was very soft. He murmured/mumbled many of the passages, especially at the end. It was a relief to finish listening to the book. Now I am going to go and read it so that I can see all that I missed. My advice to would be listeners, don’t waste your time listening to this audio book and just read the print copy.